Admission Test Section One : Verbal - GRE-Verbal Exam Practice Test

One of the most intriguing stories of the Russian Revolution concerns the identity of Anastasia, the
youngest daughter of Czar Nicholas II. During his reign over Russia, the Czar had planned to revoke
many of the harsh laws established by previous czars. Some workers and peasants, however, clamored
for more rapid social reform. In 1918 a group of these people, known as Bolsheviks, overthrew the
government. On July 17 or 18, they murdered the Czar and what was thought to be his entire family.
Although witnesses vouched that all the members of the Czar's family had been executed, there were
rumors suggesting that Anastasia had survived. Over the years, a number of women claimed to be Grand
Duchess AnastasiA. Perhaps the best -known claimant was Anastasia Tschaikovsky, who was also
known as Anna Anderson. In 1920, eighteen months after the Czar's execution, this terrified young
woman was rescued from drowning in a Berlin river. She spent two years in a hospital, where she
attempted to reclaim her health and shattered mind. The doctors and nurses thought that she resembled
Anastasia and questioned heer about her background. She disclaimed any connection with the Czar's
family. Eight years later, though, she claimed that she was AnastasiA. She said that she had been
rescued by two Russian soldiers after the Czar and the rest of her family had been killed. Two brothers
named Tschaikovsky had carried her into RomaniA. She had married one of the brothers, who had taken
her to Berlin and left her there, penniless and without a vocation. Unable to invoke the aid of her mother's
family in Germany, she had tried to drown herself. During the next few years, scores of the Czar's
relatives, exservants, and acquaintances interviewed her. Many of these people said that her looks and
mannerisms were evocative of the Anastasia that they had known. Her grandmother and other relatives
denied that she was the real Anastasia, however. Tried of being accused of fraud, Anastasia immigrated
to the United States in 1928 and took the name Anna Anderson. She still wished to prove that she was
Anastasia, though, and returned to Germany in 1933 to bring suit against her mother's family. There she
declaimed to the court, asserting that she was indeed Anastasia and deserved her inheritance. In 1957,
the court decided that it could neither confirm nor deny Anastasia's identity. Although we will probably
never know whether this woman was the Grand Duchess Anastasia, her search to establish her identity
has been the subject of numerous books, plays, and movies.
She was unable to ___the aid of her relative.

EVANESCENT : VANISH ::

MULCHED : BURGEON ::

In the United States, the extent of adult illiteracy at the workplace has been obscured by adequate
employment for adults with few or no literacy skills, too-simple definitions of literacy, faulty survey
methods, and a stigma associated with illiteracy that keeps many people from admitting illiteracy or
seeking help in overcoming it. With today's increasingly rapid technological advances and increased
foreign competition, however, U.S. businesses are growing more and more aware of the extent and the
costs of illiteracy in the work force. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics warns that the U.S. labor-force
entrants in the years ahead may not have the skills that employers need-that new jobs in the service
industries, where most job growth is projected to occur, will demand much higher literacy skill levels than
today's service jobs, and few new jobs will be created for those who cannot read and follow directions, fill
out forms and communicate by e-mail with coworkers, and perform simple arithmetical computations
applying the basic rules of mathematics.
It can be inferred from the passage that

"Old woman," grumbled the burly white man who had just heard Sojourner Truth speak, "do you think your
talk about slavery does any good? I don't care any more for your talk than I do for the bite of a flea." The
tall, imposing black woman turned her piercing eyes on him. "Perhaps not," she answered, "but I'll keep
you scratching." The little incident of the 1840s sums up all that Sojourner Truth was: utterly dedicated to
spreading her message, afraid of no one, forceful and witty in speech. Yet forty years earlier, who could
have suspected that a spindly slave girl growing up in a damp cellar in upstate New York would become
one of the most remarkable women in American history? Her name then was Isabella (many slaves had
no last names), and by the time she was fourteen she had seen both parents die of cold and hunger. She
herself had been sold several times. By 1827, when New York freed its slaves, she had married and
borne five children. The first hint of Isabella's fighting spirit came soon afterwards, when her youngest son
was illegally seized and sold. She marched to the courthouse and badgered officials until her son was
returned to her. In 1843, inspired by religion, she changed her name to Sojourner (meaning "one who
stays briefly") Truth, and, with only pennies in her purse, set out to preach against slavery. From New
England to Minnesota she trekked, gaining a reputation for her plain but powerful and moving words.
Incredibly, despite being black and female (only white males were expected to be public speakers), she
drew thousands to town halls, tents, and churches to hear her powerful, deep-voiced pleas on equality for
blacks-and for women. Often she had to face threatening hoodlums. Once she stood before armed bullies
and sang a hymn to them. Awed by her courage and her commanding presence, they sheepishly
retreated. During the Civil War she cared for homeless ex-slaves in Washington. President Lincoln invited
her to the White House to bestow praise on her. Later, she petitioned Congress to help former slaves get
land in the West. Even in her old age, she forced the city of Washington to integrate its trolley cars so that
black and white could ride together. Shortly before her death at eighty-six, she was asked what kept her
going. "I think of the great things," replied Sojourner.
This incident occurred in the-

IMPEDE:

Marie Curie was one of the most accomplished scientists in history. Together with her husband, Pierre,
she discovered radium, an element widely used for treating cancer, and studied uranium and other
radioactive substances. Pierre and Marie's amicable collaboration later helped to unlock the secrets of the
atom. Marie was born in 1867 in Warsaw, Poland, where her father was a professor of physics. At the
early age, she displayed a brilliant mind and a blithe personality. Her great exuberance for learning
prompted her to continue with her studies after high school. She became disgruntled, however, when she
learned that the university in Warsaw was closed to women.
Determined to receive a higher education, she defiantly left Poland and in 1891 entered the Sorbonne, a
French university, where she earned her master's degree and doctorate in physics. Marie was fortunate to
have studied at the Sorbonne with some of the greatest scientists of her day, one of whom was Pierre
Curie. Marie and Pierre were married in 1895 and spent many productive years working together in the
physics laboratory. A short time after they discovered radium, Pierre was killed by a horse-drawn wagon
in
1 906. Marie was stunned by this horrible misfortune and endured heartbreaking anguish. espondently she
recalled their close relationship and the joy that they had shared in scientific research. The fact that she
had two young daughters to raise by herself greatly increased her distress. Curie's feeling of desolation
finally began to fade when she was asked to succeed her husband as a physics professor at the
Sorbonne. She was the first woman to be given a professorship at the world-famous university. In 1911
she received the Nobel Prize in chemistry for isolating radium. Although Marie Curie eventually suffered a
fatal illness from her long exposure to radium, she never became disillusioned about her work.
Regardless of the consequences, she had dedicated herself to science and to revealing the mysteries of
the physical world.
Marie had a bright mind and a __personality.

One of the most intriguing stories of the Russian Revolution concerns the identity of Anastasia, the
youngest daughter of Czar Nicholas II. During his reign over Russia, the Czar had planned to revoke
many of the harsh laws established by previous czars. Some workers and peasants, however, clamored
for more rapid social reform. In 1918 a group of these people, known as Bolsheviks, overthrew the
government. On July 17 or 18, they murdered the Czar and what was thought to be his entire family.
Although witnesses vouched that all the members of the Czar's family had been executed, there were
rumors suggesting that Anastasia had survived. Over the years, a number of women claimed to be Grand
Duchess AnastasiA. Perhaps the best -known claimant was Anastasia Tschaikovsky, who was also
known as Anna Anderson. In 1920, eighteen months after the Czar's execution, this terrified young
woman was rescued from drowning in a Berlin river. She spent two years in a hospital, where she
attempted to reclaim her health and shattered mind. The doctors and nurses thought that she resembled
Anastasia and questioned heer about her background. She disclaimed any connection with the Czar's
family. Eight years later, though, she claimed that she was AnastasiA. She said that she had been
rescued by two Russian soldiers after the Czar and the rest of her family had been killed. Two brothers
named Tschaikovsky had carried her into RomaniA. She had married one of the brothers, who had taken
her to Berlin and left her there, penniless and without a vocation. Unable to invoke the aid of her mother's
family in Germany, she had tried to drown herself. During the next few years, scores of the Czar's
relatives, exservants, and acquaintances interviewed her. Many of these people said that her looks and
mannerisms were evocative of the Anastasia that they had known. Her grandmother and other relatives
denied that she was the real Anastasia, however. Tried of being accused of fraud, Anastasia immigrated
to the United States in 1928 and took the name Anna Anderson. She still wished to prove that she was
Anastasia, though, and returned to Germany in 1933 to bring suit against her mother's family. There she
declaimed to the court, asserting that she was indeed Anastasia and deserved her inheritance. In 1957,
the court decided that it could neither confirm nor deny Anastasia's identity. Although we will probably
never know whether this woman was the Grand Duchess Anastasia, her search to establish her identity
has been the subject of numerous books, plays, and movies.
In court she ___ maintaining that she was Anastasia and deserved her inheritance.

Many great inventions are greeted with ridicule and disbelief. The invention of the airplane was no
exception. Although many people who heard about the first powered flight on December 17,1903, were
excited and impressed, others reacted with peals of laughter. The idea of flying an aircraft was repulsive
to some people. Such people called Wilbur and Orville Wright, the inventors of the first flying machine,
impulsive fools.
Negative reactions, however, did not stop the Wrights. Impelled by their desire to succeed, they continued
their experiments in aviation. Orville and Wilbur Wright had always had a compelling interest in
aeronautics and mechanics. As young boys they earned money by making and selling kites and
mechanical toys. Later, they designed a newspaper-folding machine, built a printing press, and operated
a bicycle-repair shop. In 1896, when they read about the death of Otto Lilienthal, the brother's interest in
flight grew into a compulsion. Lilienthal, a pioneer in hang-gliding, had controlled his gliders by shifting his
body in the desired direction. This idea was repellent to the Wright brothers, however, and they searched
for more efficient methods to control the balance of airborne vehicles. In 1900 and 1901, the Wrights
tested numerous gliders and developed control techniques. The brothers' inability to obtain enough lift
power for the gliders almost led them to abandon their efforts. After further study, the Wright brothers
concluded that the published tables of air pressure on curved surfaces must be wrong.
They set up a wind tunnel and began a series of experiments with model wings. Because of their efforts,
the old tables were repealed in time and replaced by the first reliable figures for air pressure on curved
surfaces. This work, in turn, made it possible for them to design a machine that would fly. In 1903 the
Wrights built their first airplane, which cost less than one thousand dollars. They even designed and built
their own source of propulsion- a lightweight gasoline engine. When they started the engine on December
1 7, the airplane pulsated wildly before taking off. The plane managed to stay aloft for twelve seconds,
however, and it flew one hundred twenty feet. By 1905 the Wrights had perfected the first airplane that
could turn, circle, and remain airborne for half an hour at a time. Others had flown in balloons or in hang
gliders, but the Wright brothers were the first to build a full-size machine that could fly under its own power.
As the contributors of one of the most outstanding engineering achievements in history, the Wright
brothers are accurately called the fathers of aviation.
The Wrights designed and built their own source of ____.

INNOVATION : PRECEDENT ::

BRAGGART : MODESTY

Scientist have used ___water to wash away volcanic ash from the skeletons of victims.

In nearly all human populations, a majority of individuals can taste the artificially synthesized chemical
phenylthiocarbonide (PTC). However, the percentage varies dramatically-from as low as sixty percent in
India to as high as ninety-five percent in AfricA. That this polymorphism is observed in non-human
primates as well indicates a long evolutionary history which, although obviously not acting on PTC, might
reflect evolutionary selection for taste discrimination of other, more significant bitter substances, such as
certain toxic plants. A somewhat more puzzling human polymorphism is the genetic variability in earwax,
or cerumen, which is observed in two varieties. Among European populations, ninety percent of
individuals have a sticky yellow variety rather than a dry, gray one, whereas in northern China these
numbers are approximately the reverse. Perhaps like PTC variability, cerumen variability is an incidental
expression of something more adaptively significant. Indeed, the observed relationship between cerumen
and odorous bodily secretions, to which non-human primates and, to a lesser extent humans, pay
attention suggests that during the course of human evolution genes affecting body secretions, including
cerumen, came under selective influence.
Which of the following best summarizes the main idea of the passage?